I don’t remember the exact date, and I’m not keen on remembering the exact date given the circumstances behind starting Black and Blue Socks. Here I am, a year later, and a year wiser. And while I guess being a year old is a big deal, and I should at least congratulate myself. I also want to reflect on a year of blogging as a whole.

I just realized that Stocking has Black and Blue Socks. For this alone, she has to become to mascot of the blog I think. I also just realized this.

The Incident at Borderline Hikkomori: The incident a year ago that results in the birth of Black and Blue Socks in the first place. It’s amazing how a year of reflection and starting to study law causes you to realize something. Like that you were in the wrong. After all, what I did was breech of contract that you and other had agreed to, which was that she got to boss us around, and we listened. It was my mistake for agreeing to such an absurd contract in the first place, but I trusted her. You live and you learn and you get to live. Maybe she wasn’t treating me very well, but if I’d gone to court over it, I would have lost. Later, I did learn that she had a tendency to just use and discard her friends, and she’s no longer on the blog scene, so oh well. I would be lying to say it still doesn’t hurt, but it’s also in the past. On the plus side, Rauken and I were able to find a common ground.

My Troublesome Health: One thing that’s really made blogging hard is my health. Throughout half of 2009-2010 I’ve had what are now viewed as secondary issues that interfered with blogging. Over the summer, I had fatigue too bad to make watching anime even a possibility. Finally, it seems that there’s a really problematic imbalance in my brain as well as a still undetermined autoimmune disorder where I’m constantly fighting infections–right now the tests are in the work to see if it’s lupus or not. I definitely have quite a case of fibromyalgia caused by said chemical imbalance. I’m doing what I need to for a better future, but right now, I have a flare, I’m fighting with constant pain and severe fatigue. The great irony is I didn’t think fibro was a real condition. In the next week or the week after, I’m going to switch medications to try to treat it and get some relief.

Moonlighting at Rabbitpoets: Has been an absolute blast! I’ve loved it! And I will always love RP. I haven’t done as well a job as I wanted to (see above), and I’m very thankful he’s been tolerant as he’s been. It’s still been great fun, and I hope that if my health improves, I can go back to moonlighting. I’m going to take a break in the winter, but I’m looking forward to the Spring.

Also, if you haven’t checked out Rabbitpoets yet, you should. wwww.rabbitpoets.com Remember the name.

My Identity Crisis: I change my icon all the time. I can never seem to find an icon that fits me, and says what Black and Blue Socks is about. On top of that, my OCD extents to icons, and I have all these rules about icons. I’ve just been changing from one to another until I found the right way to portray Black and Blue Socks. So I’ve been waiting for a pair of Black and Blue Socks to appear in anime, for, well, a year now. I guess I can stop waiting. Thanks Stocking. At least until I get OCD again…

WHEN WILL IT END?

The Aniblog Tourny: I was very surprised to find out that I was even in this. Please understand, Black and Blue Socks was only three or four months old. I was very flattered! Annnnd I got knocked out in the first round. I didn’t take it that hard though, if anything, the anxiety of being in a competition was terrible, and it was a relief to be out of it. Instead, I kicked back and did meta commentary and helped out with things–until it all blew up in my face.

I know there’s plans to run this in the future. Currently, I’d rather not compete again, but when the tournament rolls around, if I’m eligible, maybe I’ll think differently. I’m starting to realize I can’t predict my older self.

Epilouge: All the kittens found homes. 🙂

And in the end–Why Do I Blog: It’s because I love making new banners each season so much!

No, not really. And while the nice thing would be to be humble and say I do it for myself, I don’t. I love all my readers, and it means the world to me that you take the time out of your day to read this blog. After getting crushed by finals and having limited computer time, I am unable to read the blogs that I dearly want to read. I know I haven’t been commenting lately, and I am sorry. I want to. I barely have time to update my own blog. The only exception to this is when my father is home.

But there are two people that I truly blog for, and aim to entertain with my posts. Such as BT was to Ryushki07. They are my muses and inspirations. They offer direct feedback, and let me know what works and what doesn’t. Best of all, nothing makes me day quite like hearing them laugh over what I wrote. One of them is my twin sister. The other is Motichu, my boyfriend.

Yes, Black and Blue Socks is a product of my effort and labor. But without them, I wouldn’t have the same motivation.

So if you really enjoy Black and Blue Socks, and want to thank someone for the great year.

I love making and changing banners/ icon too! it’s super fun ^_^ Happy one year! I don’t know the details but it must have been a rough for you so far. Hope that your health gets better soon and that life gets better later on 🙂

Autoimmune diseases can be tricky to deal with because they are probably incurable, only suppressible. Plus, part of them is affected by the minds. I often hear that alternative medicine may be useful,

Congratulations on one year of multi-style of blogging. It was fun.
And happy holidays:)

At best right now, I go in and out of good flares and bad flares. I’ve heard alternative medicine can not only be a big help for autoimmune, but problems with the brain. I just want to make sure I know what I’m doing and not hurting myself.

*phew* good thing I wrote when I started organizationasg–*looks the other way*

Sounds like you had some ups and some downs this year. Sorry about the fatigue issue. Continue to get better. While I’ve only read a few of your posts, I think your articles are pretty good. I’m looking forward to reading more of them!

And as for the Aniblog tourney, how did you find out? Did you try to get answers as to why?

Congrats for hitting a year on here 😀 and hope your health improves more in 2011~
I don’t think you need to even worry about the icon changes, seeing as how almost everybody in the aniblogosphere constantly swaps them XD if anything people who stay the same all the time are the rare ones…
as for some of the events… well gosh, remind me why sometimes I want to have nothing to do with most of the aniblogosphere >.< it's why writing for people we really know helps (half my motivation comes from discussing with my anime club, so bit similar to yours I know x3)

I guess that partially explains why you always have such good articles. I know some of my best ideas have come from discussions with other people. For the most part, I just really like making them laugh. Hence being a total goofball. 🙂